Disaster declared in Alaska due to "imminent threat of catastrophic flooding" from glacier lake outburst

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a state disaster declaration Monday as a result of what he called the "imminent threat of catastrophic flooding from a glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF)" in the Juneau area. It would mark the third straight year of serious glacier-related flooding in Juneau, the state capital, in extreme southeastern Alaska.

The flooding would be associated with Suicide Basin, a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier, Dunleavy said.

"Hydrologic monitoring by the National Weather Service (NWS) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirms that the volume of water currently impounded in Suicide Basin has reached or exceeded levels observed during prior flood-of-record events," he warned in a statement. "A release is expected at any time. Flooding is likely to affect the Mendenh